SAN FRANCISCO--Google Glass currently comes in five colors and has a pop-in sunglass visor, but no version of the Explorer Edition comes with prescription lenses. For glasses-wearers like me, that means getting contacts or jamming them over my frames. Next year, that may change.

You had to look closely on the Google I/O show floor, but a few Google employees were wearing Glass prototypes with actual prescription glasses attached. Designed in-house at Google, they actually look good: crisp modern lines, but not exactly for the Ray-Ban set. Mark Shandy, seen above, was kind enough to show them off and discuss how they felt so far.

It's been reported that Warby Parker could be getting into the Google Glass-designing game, but there's a good chance that Google's own in-house design team will come up with some good-looking frames, too, based on these early results, although how easy it'll be to fit those frames with standard prescription lenses isn't clear.

These Google Glass glasses prototypes have two big downsides, though: the Glass hardware can't be detached, making them a secondary pair of glasses at best. And, they can't be folded up: just like current Glass, the visor-like arms are rigid, making the hardware not very pocket-friendly.

If they could make these glasses foldable and have the Glass unit be an easy snap-on option, I might actually consider buying them. If they were affordable. Google might have itself a little optical side business.

About the author

Scott Stein is a senior editor covering iOS and laptop reviews, mobile computing, video games, and tech culture. He has previously written for both mainstream and technology enthusiast publications including Wired, Esquire.com, Men's Journal, and Maxim, and regularly appears on TV and radio talking tech trends.
See full bio